Oblivious To My Love
by Panthres
Summary: Burning gazes, falling tears are the reason my vision hazes, watching you, makes my heart beat in a pace few ever get to. Why can't you see that I still love you? Companion fic to Lost & Found. See through the clouded eyes of Troy Bolton. Troypay.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: _Poem written by myself, Stephanie, I hope you like it. Read on, and be prepared for a good story, or at least I hope its one. HSM characters are not mine.

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_A silence that's so oppressive that it's hard to breath. _

_The ache inside your heart seems to swell until it's almost bursting at the seams, _

_Just fighting to break free from its confines… _

_It seems to be all that exists around me in this lingering moment of time. _

_The clock ticks and chimes, _

_But the sound hasn't reached my ears as I lay here _

_Lost in despair… _

_Completely unaware of the concern that surrounds me _

_The truth is excruciating pain that leaps at me in bounds _

_It's never-ending _

_This cycle of pain… _

_I feel as though my soul is bending, _

_Being torn _

_As angst comes back to the surface reborn… _

_Each time worse than the last… _

_My heart is weary from learning hidden truths of my past _

_Please, I beg _

_Let this be the end of my suffering _

_I don't want to hurt anymore…_

Go ahead, click the button, and read all of Troy's story. I promise you….it's worth it.


	2. Chapter One

Here you go guys! This is the first official chapter of 'Oblivious to My Love'. If you're a new reader, then it's highly suggested you read the fic 'Lost and Found' before you read this one. It will explain alot of things that are bound to confuse you in this one. But to my fans who are joining me here, I hope you enjoy this fic. And I'll probably be updating again next week...hopefully. XD

-Steph-

P.S- Don't forget to READ and REVIEW!

Disclaimer: I don't own HSM...if I did I'd make it a hell of a lot better, because Troy and Sharpay belong together!

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_**Chapter One**_

_**Oblivious to My Love: Beyond Your Attentions**_

East High School, Home of the Wildcats, was an awfully busy place. Students, grade nine and up, bustled down the halls, chattering loudly, and making snide comments towards their friends. There was also what I termed the _'fifteen-minute-oh-shit-I-didn't-do-my-homework'_ rush, that was most certainly taking place, judging by the flurry of paper flipping that was going on across the hall, as well as numerous pounding feet heading towards the library.

It was at these times I felt thankful that my mother was such an academic prude. Oh, if I was a C-average student, she would love me for it and be proud of me, but only if that was my absolute best effort.

I knew my mom wasn't the type who'd hate me if I didn't have straight A's, but she expected me to put my best foot forward, whether on the basketball court, or in a Chemistry classroom, and I loved her for it.

_Speaking of loving someone… _I thought, feeling my eyes being drawn elsewhere, particularly towards the beautiful blonde-haired girl, making her way up the stairs.

My eyes gravitated towards the piercing sound of heels click-clacking against the white linoleum flooring that covered the wide hallway. My orbs automatically following her hips as her athletically slender form stalked down the hallway, blonde curls bouncing.

Her skin-tight light blue tank, showed off her defined center, and the gorgeously rounded cleavage peeking over the top of the laced neckline had my body reacting in ways that was most definitely not appropriate, considering she didn't seem to know I existed.

Or she did, and didn't care to pay any attention to me.

The jean skirt she wore showed off a pair of exquisitely pale and smooth legs, and boy, did I wish I could touch them like I used too.

Watching her walk down the hallways like this, looking as though she owned the place, always seemed to flip on the huge switch inside my head that said 'Yearn for Sharpay' and it was incredibly annoying.

I insurmountably missed the girl she used to be.

The one I would hold in my arms for hours, and kiss without a care in the world. The girl, who would call me at two o'clock in the morning when she needed someone to talk to, or just encourage her. I missed hearing her loud cheering and screaming at my basketball games.

God, how I missed Sharpay Evans. Or I missed the real her, not this emotionless, and cold girl I was staring at this moment.

_It was Sharpay's body, alright, but her mindset wasn't the same._

And it hadn't been for almost three years. Not since Ananchel had been killed in that car accident, and what hurt the most, was that I didn't know if I would ever get the love of my life back.

I shook my head, deciding to focus my attention on opening my locker, and getting myself situated before I had to head off to my first class, but once again, I was distracted.

A hand on my shoulder pulled me from my intense staring. "Troy…" I turned towards the sound and wasn't surprised to see my best friend, Chad standing there, his bushy hair even more puffy than usual.

"What's up man?" he greeted cheerfully, and I grabbed him in a brotherly one-armed hug, shooting him my own half-hearted grin.

"Not much dude. Just wondering how the hell I'm going to finish that physics paper by Friday." I replied as I tried to focus on his conversation, instead of the blonde beauty standing about two yards away from me on the other side of the hallway.

Chad grimaced slightly as he leaned his back against the red row of lockers behind him.

"I feel for you, bro. I'm glad I don't take that class yet." he started as he lifted his hand and leisurely tossed the basketball he held in his hands through the air.

I snorted at that as I began entering the combination to my locker, and Chad paused suddenly. "Wait…don't you take Chemistry AP too?" he asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah, it's a double course that my mom wanted me to take."

I opened the red locker door swiftly as I sat my backpack on the floor, and grabbed my Physics binder from the top shelf. I flipped through the college-ruled loose leaf pages checking to make sure I had my homework from two days ago inside.

Chad raised his bushy eyebrows at my lackadaisical response, while twirling the orange ball on his fingertip. "Why, though? I mean two science courses in one year. That's a shit load of work to do, Troy."

I didn't glance up at him from looking over my homework to make sure I'd done it all.

"I know, man, but she really wants me to get a scholarship for both athletics and academics. It's not the only double course I'm taking this year. I'm in the History double course as well. My mom has me in English 3 and English AP as an after-school class. I sometimes go to seminars down at the local university." I said, finally closing my binder and tucking it into my backpack, before grabbing my Physics book.

"But it's not like you didn't already know this, Chad." I told him, smirking slightly at his disbelieving look.

"Is your mom batty?" he asked in shock, his eyes wide.

I laughed. "She's a professional psychologist, dude. What do you think?" I questioned in amusement as I shut my locker door, my physics book in hand.

I decided it wouldn't be a good thing for Chad's mental capacity to tell him that I played four different sports on weekends and after school. Not to mention that I worked for my mom and at a local car-shop.

With another glance at my best friend, I decided he wouldn't be able to handle the fact that I volunteered at least ten hours a week.

I snatched up my backpack from the floor as I turned to him. Chad was still gaping at me, his jaw slack.

I opened my mouth to say something, but someone calling my name got my attention.

"Hey Troy!" I peered over my shoulder and saw the brunette with green eyes approaching me.

"Hey Jason." I replied giving him a clap on the shoulder as I strapped on my backpack.

"Did you happen to finish the Algebra homework Mrs. Belle assigned?" he asked, and I nodded, ignoring the strangled sound that rose from my bushy-haired best friend.

"Yeah, I did it the other day." I told him, and he looked at me in exasperation.

"Did you understand the last problem?" he questioned, and I opened my mouth to respond affirmatively when Jason spoke again. "Chad, dude, are you alright?" he asked sounding concerned.

I looked over at Chad, who was suddenly really pale as he stared at us in horror. "She gave us homework?" he squeaked, and me and Jason looked at each other.

"Yes." We answered.

"Shit!" Chad cursed and took off down the hallway.

Jason stood there, looking bewildered, while I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.

"What was all that about?" he asked in confusion.

I grinned at him.

"He didn't do his homework." I replied calming down.

"Typical Chad." Jason shook his head, a smile on his face. "That idiot."

I nodded at him, smirking. "Too right he is."

"Does coach want to have another after-school practice?" he asked me, changing the subject abruptly.

I shrugged. "I have no idea, Jase." I responded. "I just hope not. I have a twelve page physics paper due Friday. "

He winced sympathetically. "As do I, man. I've yet to get started on the research for it." he told me looking defeated.

I stared at him in disbelief, before smacking him upside the head.

"Dude, it's Monday, and you haven't even started?" He rubbed the side of his head and shrugged. "I'll get it done, Troy."

Rolling my eyes I snorted. "You better, or coach will have to bench your ass before game season even starts. You know how serious he is about that kind of stuff."

Jason opened his mouth to say something, but a loud squeal silenced everyone in the hallway.

"SHARPAY!"

My eyes darted over to towards the sound and I felt my eyes widen slightly as a familiar young girl began dragging her mother towards the girl who stood in the middle of the hallway, her finely plucked eyebrows raised in cold disbelief.

"Sharpay! Sharpay, I see you!" The young child squealed again, and I recognized her.

Her name was Sarah, if I wasn't mistaken. It was strange seeing the girl again, after all the last time I'd seen her she had been like eight years old. Almost three years since I'd seen that face.

_Since I'd seen the girl I loved truly smile. _

My throat clenched, and I felt my good mood begin to fade.

I watched as Sharpay shook her head slightly a confused look in her cold brown eyes, before she stared down at the girl in front her, who was almost bouncing in excitement.

"Sarah, dear, you shouldn't point. It's rude." The mother, I knew to be Lisa Everhart scolded her twelve-year old sternly.

Sharpay's head tilted in the same fashion it always did when she was thinking hard, or suddenly remembering something.

I felt my heartbeat speed up slightly.

"You mean Sarah Everhart? Tracy Everhart's little sister?" she inquired, and my eyes bulged slightly.

_SHE REMEMBERED TRACY!_ I thought incredulously, feeling my chest contract. _Could this mean she was starting to remember once again?_ I wondered to myself as the girl squealed, obviously pleased that Sharpay knew who she was.

"Yes, I'm surprised you remember us. It's been quite awhile since we've seen you, Sharpay. You've grown up quite well." said Sarah's mother, Lisa.

I saw Sharpay give a tight nod, and instantly felt my hope shrivel inside my chest. I could tell from that look that she didn't remember.

Hearing her fake laughter, caused me to want to ball up in a corner and die.

"Well, if you ever get the time, drop by and visit! I'm sure Tracy will love to see her old best friend again."

There were gasps, and even Sharpay seemed to be taken off guard by the words _old best friend._

I noticed Jason watching me obtrusively from the corner of his eye. He was probably wondering why I was suddenly standing so tensely in front of my locker.

"Right." she replied to Lisa emotionlessly with a fake smile that had me cringing slightly.

_This isn't my Sharpay, but she's in there somewhere. _I thought to myself as I watched Lisa drag Sarah away from gaping at Ryan, who looked uncomfortable.

Sharpay stood there in the hallway, her brow crinkling in confusion most likely pondering the conversation she'd just had with the Everharts'.

Someone to my left snickered quite loudly, and Sharpay's icy gaze snapped up and her eyes narrowed.

"SCRAM!" she barked vehemently, glaring around, and people, startled into action by the loud command, ran in different directions, just now realizing that the bell had sounded.

Not paying any attention to anything else, I watched as she stood in the middle of the hallway, simply staring off into space, blankly.

Jason tapped me on the arm. "Hey, dude, I'll see you later. Gotta get to class." he told me with a smile.

I nodded at him and waved him off as he jogged lightly towards the stairs.

I turned my eyes away from his retreating figure, and my eyes met Sharpay's. She looked minutely disturbed as we stared at each other, before I turned away, unable to stop my eyes from watering slightly.

_Be strong, Troy._ I chided myself. _This is no time to turn into a sissy._

I squared my shoulders, and walked away, feeling her eyes burning holes into the back of my head, but I never looked back, because somewhere deep inside, I could feel myself on the brink.

I couldn't take much more of this, despite my supposed strength.

I knew it to be true, but I didn't feel like accepting it. It was so much easier to ignore the facts staring me in the face, because there was a good chance that Sharpay would never remember me.

"And that would be the end of Troy Michael Bolton." I whispered to myself, feeling my heart break just a little bit more as I made my way up the stairs.

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REVIEW! Tell me how I did with Troy's POV.


	3. Chapter Two

HI! This is Steph here, and I am happy to admit that I have finally gotten a beta! -cheers- Reddragon13x will soon be helping me re-edit and format Lost & Found, and I hope you guys like the changes, but I'll be sure to let you know in my Author's notes for this fanfic when I start re-posting chapters. I hope you like this chapter, because I've read it and read it again and again, I was finally satisfied with it.

Enjoy! But please review. I love hearing from you guys.

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_I couldn't take much more of this, despite my supposed strength. _

_I knew it to be true, but I didn't feel like accepting it. It was so much easier to ignore the facts staring me in the face, because there was a good chance that Sharpay would never remember me._

_"And that would be the end of Troy Michael Bolton." I whispered to myself, feeling my heart break just a little bit more as I made my way up the stairs..._

**_Chapter Two_**

_**Oblivious to My Love: Falling Again**_

(January 30, 2004)

_**"Troy Bolton, please report to the front office." **__The loud speaker's strange sounding beep __echoed __through the once silent classroom__like a sharp slap. Mrs. Donnelly's nasally voice didn't linger, but the tenseness of my shoulders remained long after the intercom had been disconnected. _

"_Mr. Bolton?" My eighth grade teacher, Ms. Christine, called from her spot at the head of the class, as I made no move to exit the classroom. _

_I glanced up slowly from my desk, where I had been idly doodling for the past hour. _

"_Go ahead, Mr. Bolton." she told me sternly, her hands gesturing in some sort of weird prompting, impatient manner, but I only sat there and stared at her. I didn't want to move. _

_That dreadful feeling that had been plaguing me all week, suddenly sunk deep into my stomach, making me feel almost nauseous, and I closed my eyes briefly, feeling myself pale unintentionally. _

_I'd had this feeling only once before. _

_And that was when my mother had been in a horrible car accident, that could have proved fatal, had she not dropped my lunch, and bent sideways to reach for it, lessening the impact of a speeding car, that drove straight into her side._

_If that had been bad, this one was worse._

_A lot worse. _

"_Mr. Bolton." Ms. Christine was glaring now, so I sighed heavily in both wariness, and despair. _

_Rising from my seat, I unhurriedly grabbed my backpack, hoisting it onto my shoulder, before walking lightly down the long aisles of desks, feeling like I was heading to my execution. _

_I could feel my classmates' curious gazes on my back as I trekked reluctantly towards the door of the classroom. They were most likely wondering why I was bringing my stuff with me, either that or trying to figure out why I was procrastinating so much._

_Apparently, my teacher was thinking more towards the former, when she asked, "Why are you taking your things with you, Mr. Bolton? I'm sure they'll send you back up in time." she inquired, her voice professionally aloof._

_I barely spared her a second's glance, not even pausing as I passed her on my way to the door. Dread, making my feet feel leaden, and my body was suddenly fatigued as I placed my hand on the cool metal of the door knob, I felt my heart sinking into my stomach._

_I really don't want to open that door. I thought, before peering over my shoulder at Ms. Christine's form, taking in the stern look on her face, narrowed eyes, and her heeled right foot tapping. _

"_Because I won't be coming back." I stated, my voice quiet, but confident in my assumption._

_My response obviously surprised her, judging by the widening of her eyes, and a concerned frown flitted down onto her face. "Troy…?" she asked, and the students began murmuring lowly to each other, their eyebrows raised._

_I paid them no heed, as I sent Ms. Christine a nod of farewell, and stepped out of the room, letting the door fall shut with a soft click, that sounded all too final in my ears._

"_Here I come, fate." I whispered to myself, making my way down the hall, under the twisting shadows of the afternoon sun shining through the windows of Albuquerque Middle School._

* * *

My eyes snapped open, and I inhaled sharply, feeling my mind return to the current day and time. I laid in bed, trying to still my quickly beating heart, but the emotions swirling inside me had my body running on a high.

Spread-eagled on top of my dark blue comforter, I stared at the ceiling, feeling the emotional rollercoaster, I had boarded, slowly come to a halt.

_Gods…_I thought to myself. _I haven't dreamt about that morning in a while. _

Blinking slowly, I eased myself back down under the covers, trying to fight off the chill that had suddenly over come me. _Pay…_I sighed mentally. _I wish you were here. I wish I could call you, but…fuck._

I rubbed my head with the ends of my fingers, fighting off the headache that decided to make an appearance. _Why the hell is everything falling apart now? _

Why now?

Everything for me had been going good. My jump shot had become one of the best in the state. I had a 4.0 grade point average, and the Wildcats were having a great season after winning every game since the beginning of the year.

I was also being considered for a highly prestigious scholarship from NYU, for both athletics and academics.

_Everything was good, and now this. _I snarled sub-vocally, feeling disgusted. _God, life is so not fair. _

Shaking my head, I relaxed the tension out of my body, and let my eyes fall closed again, only to see the smiling face of Sharpay, floating in my mind's eye, and I snapped them open again.

"Damn it." I whispered, my voice thick and lethargic with exhaustion.

I threw a heavy arm across my eyes, wanting to sleep, but clearly, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Glancing over at my alarm clock, I groaned when I noticed that it was just a little past one in the morning, and I didn't usually get up until six.

I threw my comforter off me, and sat up in bed, my bare back brushing against the sheets as my feet hit the wooden floor of my bedroom. Leaning forward, I leant my elbow against my dark-green pajama-covered thigh, and scrubbed at my face blearily.

I looked around my room, a frown contorting my features, trying to find anything that could occupy my time for a while, but as I rested my hands against the rumpled sheets, I was distracted by the rapid dispersing of the heat that had been held there only moments before.

I stared at my bed, my brows furrowed.

_One minute it's there and the next it's gone. _I thought bitterly, while eying the now cool sheets underneath my palm. _Sounds a lot like something else I know._

Blithely, I picked up my hand, and settled it against my other thigh, resting my head in my hands. _When will this torment end? _I had to wonder, because the pain seemed never-ending.

It was always there, lurking under the surface of my thoughts, and at the most inappropriate moments in time, it seemed to hit me the strongest.

Sighing quietly, I lifted my head, and my blue eyes locked onto the last picture I wanted, nor needed to see.

It was a picture of Sharpay and I; one that I would remember for the rest of my life.

It had been taken the day before _the accident. _

We were in my backyard relaxing underneath the giant evergreen tree that she had loved, and she was curled up in my arms, her head thrown back in laughter, and her hazel eyes were sparkling.

The sun had shone brilliantly that day, the rays bringing out the radiance of her smile, and lighting up her hair with even more highlights. I was sitting there, my arms around her waist, a huge smile on my face. That afternoon had been a gift from heaven, and I knew that I could never forget it. I remembered it like it was yesterday.

* * *

"_I wonder what it's like in heaven." Sharpay asked suddenly, her eyes staring up at the clear blue sky, and I glanced over at her, my brows furrowed. _

"_Why would you ask a question like that, Pay?" I asked, studying her form that was shadowed by the giant tree limbs that hung over our heads. _

"_Well, some girl in Mrs. Gayle's class was talking about it today with one of her friends, and it got me thinking…"she started, and I raised an eyebrow at the glazed look in her eyes. _

"_The way she described it was like heaven was a palace stocked full of gold, but I don't see it like that. I mean heaven isn't supposed to be about wealth right?" The question was obviously rhetorical, because she continued on, "I've always pictured heaven like a blank canvas. A place for those of eternal life to start over, and live without the strain of the world on their shoulders. I've never pictured it to be extravagant in the terms of jewels, but in terms of peace, happiness, and self-fulfillment." _

_Sharpay sighed quietly. "That's what I'd want my heaven to be like anyway."_

_I watched her for a second, completely unsurprised by her description of what she wished for in the afterlife. It was all she wished for now._

_Leaning over, I grasped her by the biceps, and swung her into my lap, causing her to squeal in shock, and I pulled her into my chest, wrapping her in my arms, before planting a soft and tender kiss on her lips._

_Pulling back, I smiled at her as she dazedly opened her beautiful eyes, that seemed to be glinting in the sunlight that broke through the leaves. _

"_Troy…?" she asked wonderingly, her eyes searching my own, and I just stared at her for a few moments in silence, admiring the beauty in my arms, and thanking any living deity that she cared for me, just as much as I did her. _

"_I can't give you all you wish for, but I can make you feel as loved, and as happy as I possibly can." I told her, causing a smile to break out over her features._

"_Well, you can start by removing your cell-phone from your pocket, love. It's awfully uncomfortable." she told me, grinning, and I looked at her mischievously._

"_Whoever said that it was a cell-phone, Pay? I am a boy after all." I retorted, my voice laced with innuendo, and her eyes widened in shock._

"_Ewwww…TROY!" she shrieked, her cheeks flushing a bright red, before she scuttled out of my embrace, hurriedly backing away. I grabbed her ankle, halting her retreat as I collapsed in fits of laughter, my own cheeks burning with amusement._

"_Pay, I was joking." I choked out between bursts of laughter, and she only crawled over to beat me upside the head. A mock-battle ensued, where I begged for mercy, and she finally seemed to give up on being indignant._

_I caught her in my arms, wrapping her in my embrace, and Sharpay finally dissolved into a fit of giggles, her head thrown back in laughter as I stared down at her, the smile on my face, huge._

_I didn't know that at that moment, my mother had snapped a photo of the two of us together._

* * *

It was a memory captured forever, and I wondered if I would ever know that kind of happiness again. _A calm before the storm. _I thought. That phrase had never rung so true in my mind.

Rolling my shoulders, as I stood from my mussed bed, I walked towards my bedroom door, deciding some milk and cookies would do me some good.

* * *

The first floor of the house wasn't dark and silent as I had expected it to be, but it was lit up by the ceiling fan lights emanating from the kitchen, where I could hear the distinct sounds of an ink pen scribbling across paper, the shuffling of open books, and the click-clacking of a keyboard.

Stepping lightly, I wound my way around the base of the stairs, and walked across the hard wood flooring that covered my living room, and up the two small steps that led indirectly to the hall that opened up into the kitchen.

Peering around the corner, I saw the curly-red hair bunched up on top of my mother's head in a messy ponytail. She was dressed in an slightly baggy dark-red, almost black looking t-shirt and overly long plaid pajama pants. Her feet were covered in slim white socks, and she was huddled over towards the table, obviously studying hard, and I noticed for the first time, the sounds of her iPod playing what was apparently the recording of her earlier meeting with her current patient.

If I was honest with myself, I was worried about her.

She was always working. Whether she was taking care of her patient, working at one of the Fantasy Enterprise Daycare Centers, traveling across the world for a business meeting or a conference, taking Arienne on her wild goose chases for fame (though I had to admit that Arienne was an amazing dancer) which involved her being manager for her child, and flying half-way around the United States for a meeting with a Ballet Company that wanted Arienne to audition, that told her to return in a month, which ironically would be in the next two weeks.

If it wasn't that, then she was mothering me, Arienne, Miranda, Haley and all our friends. She was always doing something, and the fact that she was such a great person and loved helping others and taking care of them, just drew more and more people to her.

My dad told me that I was like the perfect mixture of both their personalities. Her academic wit and intelligence, willingness to care, singing voice, acting skill and strength of character, and my father's fire for sports, passion for helping, and loyalty.

He would always joke and say that I cared for my mom, more than I did him. Which wasn't true in any shape or form. I loved my mom, that was for sure. My friends even considered me to be a momma's boy, which embarrassed me something fierce (no matter the fact that it's true). But, my dad was just as important in my life as my mom was, and nothing would change that.

I observed her from my place in the shadows, wondering if I should disturb her by going in for milk and cookies, or if I should just go back to bed, and leave her in peace, but her voice knocked me out of my silent contemplations.

"Instead of lurking in the shadows like a common vagabond, why don't you come inside, and tell me what has you up this late at night?" Her voice was firm, and concerned, but her form was still bent over the cherry wood breakfast table, concentrating on her work.

I was startled out of my wits, but in all honesty, I shouldn't have been.

My mom always did have the innate ability to sense someone around her that needed help. It was part of what made her the great psychologist she was.

I inched from the shadows, walking into the brightly lit kitchen. "It really freaks me out when you do that mom." I told her dryly, as I made my way past her, and towards the fridge.

She smiled a bit, but her eyes never stopped flitting between her textbook, and her meticulous notes that had been spread out over part of the table.

"I know, sweetie. That's why I do it." she replied impishly, before she took one hand off the keyboard, pausing in her typing on the state-of-the-art platinum sheathed dell laptop computer, to flip a couple of pages in her textbook.

I only rolled my eyes at her typical response, as I rummaged through the fridge, grabbing the gallon of milk, and the plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies.

I glanced over my shoulder at her, and saw her scribbling in a beautiful cursive hand-writing in her huge white binder, that was filled to the brim with her current patient's info.

She always had to get onto a personal level with her patients. She had to know all of their background, and she would constantly review her sessions tapings, notes, and her self-acclaimed notes. She'd said she did it so she could understand her patient's mindset, and get a deeper understanding of who they were.

Another thing that made her good at what she did.

I turned around, kicking the refrigerator door closed with my bare foot as I sat the milk and plate of cookies on the counter, before sauntering over to the dish cabinet, and pulling out a wide-lipped glass that was perfect for dunking cookies.

"Two glasses, dear." Came my mother's distracted voice, and I simply grabbed another glass, and walked back to the milk.

Pouring until each glass was about three-fourths full, I set the milk back into the fridge, and took the glasses back over to the table, the plate of cookies pressed into my bare chest.

I carefully put the stuff onto the table, and slipped into a chair across from my mother, and took the plastic covering off the cookies.

After a few minutes of silent munching, I was so engrossed in the deliciousness of my cookie, that my mom startled me again, by asking a question.

"What's wrong, Troy?" she asked softly, and I looked up from where I was staring at my glass, noticing that my mom was staring at me worriedly from across the table. Her bright blue eyes, so like my own, were sparkling with concern, and I felt myself sigh.

I gently pushed the plate of cookies across the table in her direction, where she gratefully took one, and dipped it into her milk.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I shut it again, not knowing how I would possibly phrase the fact that I was falling in love with my not-so-ex-girlfriend again.

Come to think of it, Sharpay was still technically my girlfriend, since she had simply started ignoring me, instead of us breaking up.

_Well if you put it that way, the girl's been cheating on me with other guys for three years. _I commented exasperatedly inside my mind, and a grimace appeared on my features, before I let it drop as I saw my mom's gaze turn inquisitive.

"I'm falling again." The words slipped from my lips with ease, and I realized that it did seem to fit uncannily well, and my mom frowned a bit, chewing on her cookie slowly, and studying me all the while.

"For Sharpay, I'm guessing?" she responded, having swallowed her first bite, and I nodded, watching her take another.

"Well, it's not all together surprising, Troy." she stated calmly, finally finishing her cookie, and smiling at me as I sipped my milk, trying not to respond.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked her finally, and she only smiled.

"It means that those who love someone, don't always love them only once, sweetheart."

She sat her glass down, and walked around the table, plopping herself onto the wooden surface next to me. "I happen to fall in love with your father at least three times a day." she told me honestly, her eyes loving as she brushed her thin and pale fingers through my chestnut-blonde locks. "It's something that continues to surprise me, even though somewhere inside I expect it to happen."

I leaned over, placing my forehead against the soft cotton of her t-shirt, and I felt her arms wrap around my shoulders, holding me in a warm embrace.

My mom had yet to fail in chasing away the demons that haunted me. Whether it be with her kind and loving wisdom, or her hugs and kisses. She was my fighting chance in the world, and when I lost Sharpay, I knew I could never lose her.

She was the one who tore into me when I was being dowdy and unruly. She was the one who picked me up off the ground, and told me to never give up. She was the one who constantly embarrassed me in front of my friends, but only because she took the time to know those embarrassing things in the first place. She was the one to stand up and fight when someone was trying to bring me down, and she was always there to hold me when I cried.

"So it's not a bad thing that I keep getting a rush whenever I see her. It's not bad to wish I could wrap her in my arms, and just hold her close?" I asked, still hiding my face in her t-shirt.

"No, sweet baby boy." My mom responded softly, "It's only when you stop falling, that you are in trouble, son." she tightened her arms around me. "I've been falling for almost twenty six years, and I still haven't stopped, nor do I expect to."

"Thanks mom." I whispered into her t-shirt, before pulling back.

"Anytime, squirt." she smiled, and kissed me on the forehead. "Go get some sleep, love."

I shook my head. "C-Could you tell me again, how you and dad first met? How you...ended up together?"

My mom smiled brightly. "Of course, Troy, just let me pack up my things, and wait for me in the living room."

I nodded at her, and picked up my place, emptying my glass, and putting away the cookies as she saved her documents, and shut down her laptop, before reorganizing her notes, and marking her place in her books.

I was situated on the living room couch, when my mom entered the room, after closing her things in her office, and switching off the kitchen lights.

She sat down next to me, and I pulled the pillow off the couch, and I laid down across the sofa, placing my head in her lap, surprising her, since I hadn't done this since I was like ten.

A bright smile lit her pretty features, and I blushed slightly. "You're starting to act like my little boy again, Troy." she teased quietly, running her fingers through my hair again, but I didn't respond, knowing she didn't mind.

"Just don't tell anyone." I whispered, and she laughed softly. "Course not."

"Well, when I was seventeen, I had just moved to New Mexico and started summer classes at Albuquerque University, majoring in psychology, and I had moved here in hopes I could better acquaint myself with the campus, and as I was wandering through town I saw this really intense game of basketball going on, near the recreation center..."

As she talked, I could feel the comforting sensation of her fingers running through my hair, the warmth of her voice as she spoke of my father, and just the general safety I felt around her, drift over me, lulling me quietly and quickly into a deep slumber.

I only prayed to God that one day I'd have Sharpay back in my arms.

My last coherent thought was a picture of Pay standing up in the bleachers, screaming my name, and cheering wildly as I smiled at her from the court.

I didn't feel it, but somehow I knew that my mom placed a soft kiss on my forehead before she spread a blanket over me, and went upstairs.

The smile on my face extended, and I whispered, "Sharpay..." before I fell asleep completely, and I became unconscious to the world around me.

* * *

REVIEW FOR ME PEOPLE...PLEASE?! I'd love to hear some feedback.

-Steph-


	4. Chapter Three

LOOK ON FIRST CHAPTER FOR DISCLAIMER...ENJOY THIS CHAPTER FOLKS...

Review!

* * *

"_Well, when I was seventeen, I had just moved to New Mexico and started summer classes at Albuquerque University, majoring in psychology, and I had moved here in hopes I could better acquaint myself with the campus, and as I was wandering through town I saw this really intense game of basketball going on, near the recreation center..." _

_As she talked, I could feel the comforting sensation of her fingers running through my hair, the warmth of her voice as she spoke of my father, and just the general safety I felt around her, drift over me, lulling me quietly and quickly into a deep slumber._

_I only prayed to God that one day I'd have Sharpay back in my arms. _

_My last coherent thought was a picture of Pay standing up in the bleachers, screaming my name, and cheering wildly as I smiled at her from the court. _

_I didn't feel it, but somehow I knew that my mom placed a soft kiss on my forehead before she spread a blanket over me, and went upstairs._

_The smile on my face extended, and I whispered, "Sharpay..." before I fell asleep completely, and I became unconscious to the world around me..._

**Chapter Three**

_**Oblivious to My Love: You Had a Bad Day**_

"TWOY!" A small high-pitched voice screamed from a distance, and that was my only warning as a small curly-haired blur leapt from the floor, and plopped down onto my stomach.

"Shit!" I cursed loudly, as I sat up blearily, and grabbed the squirming bundle of energy on my chest, stopping her effectively from seriously injuring me.

"Troy!" A voice scolded from the side, and I peered over the practically vibrating child in my arms to see my mother glowering darkly at me from under her lashes.

"Sorry." I replied to her silent threat of _'if you don't apologize right now it will be your hide' _look.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" The curly-haired seventeen month old child chorused happily, and my mom's face darkened even further as I flushed.

"Miranda, no!" I told her sternly, causing her to stop abruptly, and blink at me with her huge hazel eyes.

"No talky, Twoy?" she asked innocently, not even realizing she'd been cursing, and I scrubbed a hand over my eyes.

"Don't say that word anymore, Miranda."

She giggled, staring up at me with her sparkling doe eyes, and I couldn't help but pull her into my chest, and place a kiss on the top of her fuzzy red curls.

"Soft and fluffy, how do you do? Three Musketeer's man loves M n' M." I whispered into her curly mane, and I felt her small hands curl into my chest as she snuggled her small self closer.

"Choc'late n' spices, M n' M loves thwee Musketweer too." she repeated happily, her footie-pajama covered feet swinging.

I smiled at my little sister's adorable disposition. She was a firecracker at times, loved to get into trouble, but she was amazing when she felt like being not-hyper.

She pulled back, and grinned a big smile that had a few missing teeth. "Wead me a stowy?"

I shook my head. "I would, M n' M, but I have to get ready for school." She pouted, but she nodded reluctantly as I set her on the floor, before standing from the couch. I stretched until my back popped, and then flexed my shoulders, letting out a small groan.

"Troy, go get showered and ready for school. You and Arienne have to leave in about thirty minutes, and I want you to have something to eat before you leave." I heard my mom yell from the kitchen, and I sighed, looking down at the bright-eyed toddler, who didn't surpass my knees in height.

"I can see where you get your enthusiasm from." I told her dryly, and Miranda only stared up at me, before lifting her arms into the air, silently demanding to be picked up.

Hoisting her up from the floor, I replied to my mom's call. "Alright!" Just as I was about to turn around, the sound of thundering feet came down from the stairs. "MOM! Where's my red ballet flats?"

I looked up, watching as my thirteen-year old sister descended the stairs, her long deep red locks trailing behind her. She was wearing a white shirt that had 'Bow to Ballet' printed on the front in bright red letters. She had on white-washed fade jeans, and her tan arms and feet were bare.

"Look in the Game Room, Arienne." Was my mom's reply, as I walked quickly towards the stairs.

"Okay!" Arienne stopped and glanced up at me, raising her arched brows, before smiling.

"Morning bro." she stated, and kissed me on the cheek, causing me to look at her suspiciously, but unfortunately, I had no time to question her as Arienne snatched Miranda out of my arms, and trotted away.

I blinked after her for about three seconds, before my mom's voice rose like a siren.

"Move it Troy!" I threw an alarmed look over my shoulder, before I jogged up the stairs, realizing I'd have to hurry around as it was.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, I was rushing around my room, my hair still damp from the shower, and half dressed in a pair of dark fade jeans, and white wife beater, and a pair of white ankle socks.

I grabbed my backpack off the floor, checking to make sure my homework was all inside. When I was positive it was all there, I hurried across the room to my closet, and ripped a freshly folded Wildcats' t-shirt off the shelf, and tugged it on.

Slipping on a pair of my white runners, I hopped over to my bed, and picked up my iPod and cell-phone, sliding both into my pocket, before dashing back into the bathroom, so I could brush my hair really quick.

I glanced over myself once, and was fine with what I saw.

"TROY MICHAEL BOLTON!" The sound of my mom yelling from the first floor of the house, startled me back into action, and I ran from the bathroom, grabbing my backpack and duffel bag off the floor, before flying out of the door, and downstairs.

I was aware of Arienne waiting impatiently by the back door as I skidded into the kitchen, placing a kiss on my grandmother's soft cheek, kissing both Miranda, and the brunette four-year old Haley on their foreheads.

My mom pushed a packed lunch into my open backpack, before kissing my forehead, and shoving a breakfast sandwich and bottle of Sunny Delight into my hands. "See you later, Troy." she stated with an exasperated smile, and I kissed her on the cheek, grinning before she picked up my car keys and an apple.

"Love you all." I yelled out, as she tossed the fruit into my bag, and I was hustled out of the door by Arienne as my mom threw me my keys.

Arienne glared at me, but I grabbed the fabric of her t-shirt and shoved her outside. "Walk, kid. We have to move." I told her, and she only rolled her eyes as we jogged towards the black Ferrari six hundred twelve Scaglietti 2006 model that my parents had gotten me for my sixteenth birthday.

I unlocked the car, and tossed Arienne my iPod, which she thankfully caught as she clambered inside. I popped the trunk, and placed my duffel bag in, along with Arienne's, before shutting it, and walking back around the side. I slipped into the car as my sister connected the iPod with the dock, and I placed my backpack on the backseat, next to her own.

"What song?" she asked, scrolling through my artists. I only started up the car, and buckled my seatbelt. "Doesn't matter. You choose." I told her, before putting the car into reverse.

The song, 'Showstoppers' by Danity Kane flooded the speakers inside my car, and I raised an eyebrow at her. She only shrugged, and I backed out of the driveway. In about twenty seconds, we were flying down the street, and I was on my way to Albuquerque Middle School.

* * *

Less than ten minutes later, I signaled my left turn, and I was driving up to the front of the Middle school, where hundreds of pre-teens loitered, chatting loudly, and cracking really bad jokes. _At least they were bad in my opinion. _I thought in amusement as half of them stopped to drool over my car.

_Oh, the joy of having this baby. _I cheered silently, a grin on my face, as I stopped in front of Arienne's friends.

She rolled down my window, and waved at Lisa and Marie, and unfortunately her little boyfriend, Tyler.

_God knows, I can't stand that little ass. _I scowled at the boy, as he grinned at Arienne, looking far too smug for my liking.

He sauntered over looking like he was soaking up the attention that my car brought his girlfriend, who just happened to be my little sister.

But thankfully for him, Lisa and Marie got there first. "Hi Troy!" Lisa smiled brightly as she leaned into the car. Marie looked a bit star struck, but I only waved.

"Ari, get out, sis. I gotta go, or I'm going to be late." I told her, glancing at the clock built into the dashboard.

She nodded, grabbing her backpack, before kissing me on the cheek and hugging me close. "Bye bro." she told me softly, and I stared at her concerned.

She was about to get out of the car, when a bad feeling twisted my gut, and I slammed the locks down on the door. Arienne looked surprised, and she raised an eyebrow at me, but I ignored her in favor of rolling up the window.

"I need to talk to Arienne in private for a minute. She'll be out in a sec." I called out to the two confused looking girls, just before the window locked, and a knowing look appeared on Lisa's face.

"What's wrong?" I demanded, and she looked away from me.

"Nothing, Troy." she whispered, and I sighed deeply, swearing to myself that I'd get to the bottom of this tonight.

"You should probably be going, before you're late." she hastened, and I nodded. "You know that if you ever need me, you can call me, right?"

She stared into my eyes for a moment, her blue orbs unreadable, something I almost cursed my mom for teaching her how to do, but Arienne smiled brightly.

"Of course."

I reluctantly unlocked the doors, and she got out, walking away with her friends. I stared after her for a moment, before my eyes caught sight of the time.

"Shit." I cursed, before pelting out of the school lot, and burning rubber down the road. My dad was going to kill me. Not to mention Mrs. Darbus.

* * *

Reaching East High, minutes before I had to be in my first hour was not a fun experience, but I screeched to a halt in my parking space, and practically leapt from the car, grabbing my backpack, and iPod off the dock on the way out.

I glanced at my watch, realizing I had less than three minutes to make it up four flights of stairs to Mrs. Darbus' homeroom. Hurriedly, I locked the car doors, and sprinted inside the building, muttering angrily about the fact that East High had six floors.

Dashing around the corner, and up the stairs, I skidded beside the railing, almost crashing into the wall, before I ran up the second flight, peeking nervously at my watch, which seemed to gleefully tell me that I had less than two minutes to get to the class.

_Stupid friggin' nightmares, and boy-obsessed little sisters who constantly make me worry about them twenty-four seven._ I was ranting mentally, while physically running full tilt down the corridor. I slid to a stop in front of Mrs. Darbus' homeroom, before I burst into the room, and slammed the door shut behind me, just as the tardy bell sounded.

I was breathing hard as I turned around and saw twenty-two pairs of eyes staring at me in slight shock, and amusement.

Well, there were two exceptions. Mrs. Darbus' beady black orbs were glaring at me with some sort of venomous hatred, and disdain, while Sharpay's hazel eyes were cold, and unaffected by my rather flustered appearance.

I leaned heavily against the wall, trying to slow my breathing, and Mrs. Darbus' eyes narrowed even further.

"Now that Mr. Bolton, has graced us all with his rather _spectacular_ entrance..."She began sarcastically, her lips pursed so tightly that it looked like her face had been suctioned by a high-power vacuum. "Maybe the rather harried king will take his seat and we can discuss more important matters."

Darbus was eying me evilly, her expression more than displeased, and I got the hint. Rising, I hedged around the woman unsurely, not wanting to attract her ire, that seemed to be simmering just below the surface.

I had experienced that once before, and the last thing I needed was to see Darbus unfurl her _'bat wings' _again.

I slipped quietly into my seat, unsurprised to see Chad sitting in his seat, trembling with the effort to withhold his laughter, and I shot him a scathing look from my desk as Darbus finally removed her suspicious gaze from me, and turned around sharply, her mile of scarves swishing behind her.

Zeke, poked me in the back of the neck as he pretended to be leaning over to scribble something in his notebook. "Nice arrival there, Troy." he whispered, "Were you practicing your chance to save the day from the Drama Bat-Woman?"

Slight sniggers were heard from Chad, and Jason. I rolled my eyes. "Oh, guys, I'm touched." I pretended to swoon. "I never thought you'd admit that I would be the one to save all the _damsels_ in distress from the Evil Bat."

Zeke made an indignant sound, poking me forcibly in the back of the neck as I chuckled softly. "Shut it, Superman." he whispered, and I easily kicked him with the heel of my foot.

He made a muffled sound of pain, and I smirked, pleased with my retaliation. "Don't worry Zeke, I'm sure Troy will make it all better once he gets his cape back from the drycleaners." Chad interrupted from the corner of his mouth, and I glowered at him.

"Best friend, your decidedly not helping." I retorted, feeling slighted.

Chad only waggled his eyebrows at me. "Key word there dude, _best friend_. Best friends are permitted to rag on the other best friend anytime they want, and I am doing so right now." he shot back, quietly, causing Zeke and Jason to smother their amusement, by looking away, and covering the escaping chuckles with coughing.

Unfortunately that drew attention to me, and where I was glaring at an innocent-looking Chad Danforth, and Drama Bat-Woman swooped in to make her kill.

"Bolton!" she yelled, and I sunk down into my seat, grimacing.

"And the bat comes out of hiding." Chad exclaimed under his breath in mock-horror, and this set off everyone around me that had been listening to our conversation as Darbus marched down from the raised dais so she could stand in front of me.

_Damn... _I thought with a sigh, _this is just not my day, is it?_

* * *

The first thing I did, when the door of Mrs. Darbus' classroom was no longer in sight, was drop my backpack, and land a hard punch on my best friend's arm.

"Ow...man that hurt." Chad yelled in pain, holding his rapidly reddening arm tenderly, while sending me a glare.

"Good, just like detention with Darbus hurts, you wuss." I shot back scathingly, before glaring at him again. "Actually that deserves another punch." I stated, before punching him in the same spot again.

Chad only glared mulishly, but accepted my punishment, considering he had gotten me an afternoon of detention with the Bat, which of course led to my father being extremely pissed at me for missing practice.

Zeke placed a hand on my shoulder, distracting me from trying to incinerate Chad with my eyeballs. "Dude, we didn't mean to get you busted. Sorry." he apologized, looking at me regretfully, and patted me on the back, before moving away.

Jason stepped up in front of me, and ruffled my hair, bringing a scowl onto my face. "Yeah, man...we'll explain what happened to coach before practice." he said sincerely, shooting the other two a look that told them in no uncertain terms that they better agree.

Zeke nodded once in confirmation, looking displeased, and Chad only grunted, causing me to glare at him again.

_My good mood is non-existent, and it really doesn't seem to be getting better. _I thought furiously to myself, grumbling irritably as I snatched my backpack off the floor, and stalked down the hall.

I was pissed, miserable, and hungry.

Not a very good combination, if you asked me. It only got worse when I spotted a curly-haired dark skinned girl named Taylor Mckessie walking quickly towards me and my friends, along with that...low and behold Kelsi, Jason's girlfriend, a shy timid girl with gorgeous auburn hair and green eyes, and the ever-annoying, Cadent Sterling, Zeke's girlfriend, who had long blondish-brown hair, and blue eyes.

Kelsi was alright, but the other two, Taylor and Cadent...well, let's just say that the three of us just did not mix.

Taylor was downright determined to believe that I was a Class-A jerk, and no matter what anyone said, they couldn't change her mind, and Cadent, well she was just not my favorite person.

I couldn't stand her. Me and Taylor looked friendly compared to me and Cadent's relationship, and that was saying something.

"Z!" she yelled out, a smile spreading across her face, as she half-jogged down the hall towards us. Zeke grinned, and he spread his arms, for the small girl to leap into, which she did (mind you, with a very loud, and high-pitched squeal that had me grinding my teeth together).

Cadent placed a passionate open-mouthed kiss on Zeke's lips, and I grimaced, before turning towards Chad, who was involved in his own mini-make out session.

For some reason, I couldn't help but feel left out as I spied Kelsi nervously place a small kiss on Jason's lips. My heart twanged a bit, and I blinked, as a wide smile lit his face, and Jason affectionately nudged Kelsi with his forehead, wrapping her in his arms, eliciting a smile from the red-head.

I closed my eyes in pain, and sighed softly, feeling even more miserable than I was the day before.

"Troy...?" I vaguely heard Chad's voice, but I opened my eyes anyway, to see them staring at me, four in concern, and two in various stages of annoyance.

I forced a slight grin on my features, feeling the muscles in my face as though they were frozen and stilted.

"I'll see you guys at lunch, alright?" I asked quietly, and Chad nodded slowly at me, looking even more guilty than before.

I waved half-heartedly at them, before trudging off down the hallway. _It was definitely going to be a bad day._

* * *

"Ah...Bolton...you're here..." I heard Darbus say calmly, and I eyed her warily from the doorway of her classroom.

"Yes, ma'am." I replied softly, and she beckoned me inside the room, sweeping her hand out in a grandiose gesture that had me fearing for my safety.

_Something was definitely up with the Bat. _I thought, frightened. _She's never like this...ever._

I stepped into the classroom, as Darbus opened her mouth, "Well, have a seat. Not all of us have time to waste on trivial matters." she told me impatiently, and I almost sighed in relief.

This was much easier to deal with. Evil Darbus fine, but give me Nice Darbus, and I swear I'll run like hell. (Yeah, so what? I'm proud to say I'm a chicken shit at times, because that would mean I'm alive, and you the brave one would be dead).

Sitting down in a desk, I dropped my backpack on the floor, just as there was a loud thud, in front of me.

My eyes widened and I looked up in horror at the sight of the sickly-sweet smile on Mrs. Darbus' face as she dropped a humungous box filled to the brim with papers in front of me. "Today, Bolton, you'll be sorting through all of my scripts, musical soundtracks, and video recordings." she began, looking smug as I gulped.

"You'll have to sort through them all by year, then by play in terms of Broadway, School Production, or Original. If you don't finish today, you'll be taking it all home, and don't bring it back until you're finished." she ended her instructions with a flourish as she turned swiftly on her flats and walked back to her desk.

I eyed the box in front of me, feeling quite relieved that it was such a small assignment, until Darbus' condescending drawl reached my eardrums. "The rest of it is over there, Mr. Bolton." she told me, without looking up from her desk, but pointing towards the back of the room with a vague motion.

Following the direction her hand had moved in, I shifted in my seat, and was shocked immobile by what I saw.

Four huge boxes overflowing with papers, CD cases, and DVDs were sitting along the wall, with five smaller ones in front of them. My jaw dropped, and I let out a weak whimper, before turning around in my seat to glare at Mrs. Darbus.

"There's no way, I can do all this on my own!" I shot at her, angry, but Darbus only returned my exclamation with a glower.

"I can't deal with all the clueless brats in this school alone either, and yet I somehow manage." she retorted furiously, and I narrowed my eyes. "You will complete the work I assigned Bolton, I don't care if it takes you all year to do, but it shall be completed, without a word of complaint."

Darbus seemed to be puffing up like a blowfish, her spines awfully poisonous, so I shut up, and settled for glaring at her as I started pulling things out of the box, my mood even more sour than before.

It's really a bad day. I raged inside my mind, eyes unfocused as I gripped sheets of paper in my hands. Chad is so dead.

* * *

An hour and a half later as I unsuccessfully tried to come up with some working organization system, I decided that Chad wouldn't just get killed.

I would kill him dangerously and slowly, maybe running him over with my car a few times.

_Gosh, first the teachers go ape shit assigning homework, then Sharpay decides to invade my mind, and now I'm all fucked up in the head with falling for her again, my friends piss me off, I'm late for school, and now, I have the worst detention ever. Nothing else, could possibly go wrong. _I thought tiredly, as I shuffled through the stack of papers on my desk.

"Bolton!" I glanced up from my work, scowling at Darbus, who simply glared back.

"Yes?" I asked with forced calm, on the edge of pulling my hair out of my head. "Go down to the main office, and bring up the new shipment of Drama books." she snapped at me, her tone brooking no argument.

I rolled my eyes, dropping the papers on the desk, and stood from my chair.

"Yes, ma'am." I muttered lowly as I trudged out of the classroom, and walked leisurely down the halls, hands in my jean pockets.

Ten minutes later, I was standing in the front office of the high school, a wary look on my face as I knocked on the door.

I wasn't surprised by the immediate appearance of the sweet, but entirely too perky, Ms. Chasnov. "Oh, Troy, dear. It's so good to see you again." she greeted me enthusiastically, as she hustled me into the room, hugging me tightly.

She pulled back, her cheeks flushed, and a huge smile on her face. "It feels like forever since I last saw you."

I raised an eyebrow and gave her a rather-strained smile. "It was just yesterday when you saw me last, Ms. Chasnov." I told her politely, but she completely ignored my comment, and scolded me. "How many times have I told you to call me Betty, Troy?"

She beamed as I stared at her. I could swear this woman was on drugs, but I wouldn't say that out loud to her.

Sure she was annoying and far too bubbly, but she was a sweet woman, who had lost her family in a airplane crash a few years back, so there was a reason, she was so weird and wacky.

General consensus was that she had lost her mind when she got the news. My thoughts were interrupted as she suddenly burst into tears, causing me to gawk at her. "Ms--I mean, Betty, what's wrong?"

"Oh!!" she crooned. "You look so much like my dear Isaiah. Both of you were so handsome."

I stood there in shock, until the door to the Principal's office opened, and the assigned student-assistant to Principal Matsui stepped out.

She wore a buttoned-bodice, emerald green dress that fell to her knees. She wore a fitted tweed jacket that was pure black with silver buttons. On her feet were a pair of black peep-toe pumps with silver accents that made her grey colored eyes pop. Black eye-liner and shimmer lip gloss and shadow with glasses completed her fashionable professional look, and her black hair fell pencil straight against her slim shoulders.

Her eyes seemed to assess the situation from the wide-eyed look on my face, to the sobbing middle-aged woman in my arms, made her lips twitch slightly, but she pulled on a blank mask as she called for her secretary.

"Stacy, will you come and assist Ms. Chasnov to the lounge, and get her a hot cup of tea?" she asked the slim blonde who entered the room from a small office on the other side of the entrance area.

"Sure thing, maim." she replied softly, before walking over to me, and prying the hysterical woman from my embrace. When the door shut behind the two, the assistant, Randy turned her attention to back to me, who was more than relieved to be free of the crying woman.

"Did you come here for anything, Mr. Bolton?" she asked lightly, her voice aloof. I nodded. "Mrs. Darbus told me to pick up the new shipment of drama textbooks for her class."

Randy looked a bit surprised, before her brows furrowed and a frown appeared on her face. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bolton, but the shipment of texts doesn't get in until next week." she stated. "I believed that Mrs. Darbus had been notified of this earlier today."

My eyebrow ticked in annoyance, but I slapped a fake smile on my face and pretended to be pleasant. "Thanks for your help, Ms. Randy." I replied, before turning on my heel and stalking out of the office, pissed as hell.

I had had to endure a hysterical woman all for nothing. Damn, Darbus. I cursed under my breath as I stormed back up the stairs.

Not paying any attention to where I was going, I failed to hear the unmistakable sound of someone walking very quickly in heels, coming in my direction. Which is why, I was completely blindsided by a petite figure crashing head first into my shoulder.

"Ow!"

"Fuck!"

Two shouts echoed at the same time as a huge binder went flying into the air, it's contents pouring all over the floor, as the girl in my arms fought to keep her balance, but she stepped on the slick cover of the fallen binder, and we both went down hard.

I crashed to the ground, the lithe form resting next to me, crushing my arm as sheets of paper rained down over our heads. I was surprised when I noticed that the paper was sheet music, covered in red markings, and corrections.

I recognized the handwriting from somewhere, but couldn't put my finger on exactly where. That is, until a very familiar voice spoke up from beside me, and my heart almost stopped beating.

"BOLTON!" Sharpay Evans yelled, her tone utterly pissed as she rolled over, and climbed to her feet, staring in horror at the mess of her papers.

I sat up hurriedly. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Sharpay. I didn't see--." She cut me off with a sharp hand gesture, her eyes burning furiously as she glared at me. "I don't need your lame excuses, Bolton. Just get your sorry ass off the ground and pick my stuff up." she hissed, and I flinched from her hostility, before scrambling to gather her papers, and put them as neatly as possible back into her binder.

I had them in some sort of order, when something sharp sliced the hell out of my right thumb. "Crap..." I muttered, wincing slightly at the tingling pain in my finger.

"What is it now, Bolton?" Sharpay demanded impatiently, a scowl on her features.

"I cut my finger." I whispered softly, as I stood from the floor, her messy paper-filled binder in hand.

She only rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Bolton. I don't have all day to listen to you whine about a paper cut. Just give me my damn binder, that I have to fix again, because of your insubordinate nature and pitiful lack of grace everywhere except the court." she shot at me, hatefully, her eyes sharp with anger.

"I'm finished." I replied quietly, my face blank, but my heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

"Good." she stated coldly, "I happen to have other places to be, and more important people than you to see." she finished in a sneer.

I handed her the binder, but as she tried to snatch it from my hands, I refused to let go.

"There's always two sides of a coin, Sharpay, whether you notice the other half is there or not." I told her lowly, and she just raised an arched brow. "It's nice that you know Chinese Proverbs, Bolton, but that doesn't convince me that you're anything more than a idiot who plays basketball. So if you will excuse me..."

Sharpay snatched it out of my slack grasp, and turned on her heel, before stalking away.

I stood there staring after her, my eyes watering, and more than just my thumb bleeding.

My soul was bleeding grief and agony, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. Nothing I could do to change how my heart longed for her. I had never felt so helpless...so hopeless and utterly faithless in my life.

I stood there staring down the hall, long after Sharpay had disappeared, feeling defeated.

Fate was supposed to be about choices, and how it affects you. But I just had to wonder, why did Sharpay's choice to forget, kill me inside and out, while no harm came to her?

Why was she able to escape the consequences of a tragedy? And why did I have to be the one to bear her pain as well as my own?

I knew the answer already, but I didn't like it. She was my world, my everything. Why I lived, and why I continued to fight for my happiness. Fight to live and live to love, was what my dad always told me. I had never realized how true it was, until I fell for Sharpay, until I had to fight for both her existence and my own.

I fight to live through the constant heartbreak. I live to love, because _I love her_, and no matter the pain, I can never completely let her go.

A tear slid down my cheek, and dropped onto the fabric of my shirt as I turned to walk back to Mrs. Darbus' classroom.

_I'll never let go, and I pray that she will one day wish to let me pull her back._

_REVIEW!!_


	5. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Look on first chapter.

Hey everybody! I must say I'm sorry for keeping you waiting for so long, but I had to put alot of thought into this chapter, and I just got moved to a new house, state, and everything, so I'm a bit disorganized. I'll try to post every two weeks, but I may be late on some of them. I have alot on my plate right now, so I must go. READ AND REVIEW!

-Steph-

P.S- Hope you enjoy the chapter, I liked writing it.

* * *

_I stood there staring down the hall, long after Sharpay had disappeared, feeling defeated. _

_Fate was supposed to be about choices, and how it affects you. But I just had to wonder, why did Sharpay's choice to forget, kill me inside and out, while no harm came to her?_

_Why was she able to escape the consequences of a tragedy? And why did I have to be the one to bear her pain as well as my own? _

_I knew the answer already, but I didn't like it. She was my world, my everything. Why I lived, and why I continued to fight for my happiness. Fight to live and live to love, was what my dad always told me. I had never realized how true it was, until I fell for Sharpay, until I had to fight for both her existence and my own._

_I fight to live through the constant heartbreak. I live to love, because I love her, and no matter the pain, I can never completely let her go. _

_A tear slid down my cheek, and dropped onto the fabric of my shirt as I turned to walk back to Mrs. Darbus' classroom._

_I'll never let go, and I pray that she will one day wish to let me pull her back..._

**Chapter Four**

_**Oblivious to My Love: Answered Prayers**_

The sound of a basketball dribbling against the linoleum-covered courts of the East High gymnasium echoed in my ears as I bounced the ball idly, jogging lightly around the boundaries of the court.

My feet followed the lines of the basketball floor easily, as if they had been born to trace the red and white lines. Drifting into my own world, I performed random maneuvers with the rubbery ball in my hands as I thought about the things that loomed ever closer in the future, and the things that had been a part of my past.

I could sense something at its breaking point. My whole heart fluttered in tandem with it. I didn't know if it were me that was about to fall apart, or someone I cared about, but the feeling had me twisted in knots over the whole situation.

My relationship with Sharpay had not gotten any better, rather it seemed to be getting progressively more hostile as time went on. She would spout off insults that struck me straight to the core, and yet, I would say nothing back to refute her claims. I would only let my heart break again, after falling for her that very same day.

It wasn't an action I could just halt because I wished it to do so. Every time, I saw her in the hallway, her back turned, I felt myself falling in love all over again, but then she'd turn around and glare, reminding me that she was no longer mine to cherish.

What bothered me the most was that it was the simplest of things that had my heart pounding, and my arms tingling with want to hold her close. She could be placing her textbook into her backpack, and as she leaned over a few locks of blonde hair would fall gently into her face. Watching as she'd gracefully brush it back, had my soul singing praises and seeing her getting a sip of water from the water fountain, and seeing her swallow.

It was exhausting, and heart wrenching to love someone so much that it hurt.

I walked around the ball, still bouncing intermittently as I mused about my week. It wasn't surprising that my dad had managed to get me out of my classes, considering he was a faculty member at the school and the ever-respected coach of the East High Wildcats.

He'd asked me if I minded helping him set up the gym for the pep rally that would be taking place mid-day, and of course, I'd told him I didn't mind. It would keep me from getting into a painful situation with Sharpay, and that was the last thing I needed.

For some reason, when I had briefly considered rejecting his offer, I got this strange feeling that my dad didn't just want me there to help out with the pep rally. If that was his only motive, then I'd really only have to be in here an hour or so, not the entire first half of school. I was also suspicious because both he and my mother had been working more than usual.

Most would suspect with me being the eldest child I would know all there was to know going on with my family as I normally did, but I found my parents being rather secretive as of late, and their behavior bothered me more than I'd first thought it would. I mean, seriously, what seventeen year old, going on eighteen would really care about how much their parents _weren't_ home?

Yeah, my best friend Chad Danforth thinks I've taken a leap off the deep end as well. In his opinion, the less parental supervision, the more we party, but as I have come to believe, I'm not exactly what most would consider a _normal_ teenager anyway.

I'm close to both my parents, which was extremely weird, according to my friends. They knew about my life both in and out of school, because let's face it, my father gets a front row seat to the drama of my high school, so he sees and hears everything about me, since I seem to be the center of every **juicy** rumor. (Insert exasperated sigh here).

There was this one time in the tenth grade, where the notorious school slut, Jassa Martin…. (No offense, but I couldn't even deny the truth of this, which makes me highly uncomfortable, mind you)… had decided that I should be her boyfriend… (Otherwise known as flavor of the week)…and she had cornered me in front of my locker.

* * *

_Scared as hell, wouldn't even fit the bill at this moment in time. I thought horrified, as the dark-haired exotic looking girl stepped closer, invading my personal space. _

"_Hello Troy…" she purred, letting what I guessed was supposed to be a seductive smile curve across her horrendously glossed lips as she sauntered closer. I almost gagged as the scent of her overly used perfume clogged up my nostrils, and I backed away from her, unsubtly trying to put distance between us._

"_Jassa…"I began uncomfortably, clearing my throat. Obviously that was the wrong thing to do, as she seemed to take my unease as confirmation of my feelings for her._

"_Oh, Troy-baby…don't be shy." she simpered, slithering up to me, and crushing me against the lockers. "I know you want me." she whispered coyly, or at least she tried to be coy, it sounded like she'd eaten a bit too much honey, her voice thick and not at all attractive._

"_And I want you too." she finished, laughing daintily. My eyebrow ticked in annoyance, and I firmly told her, "Get off me."_

_She looked a bit surprised at the rather astute request. "But, Troy…" she frowned. _

_My fists clenched, and my eyes darkened as I stared down at her, anger boiling underneath. My voice was calm, and quiet. "Remove your vile appendages from my person, before I get an STD." _

_Jassa's eyes widened for a moment, before they narrowed in rage. "No one turns me down," she hissed. "Especially not for that blonde bitch, Sharpay." _

_I inhaled sharply at that, and Jassa smirked smugly, her arrogance returning with a vengeance. "Yes, Troy, I know all about your little infatuation with her…I've seen how you look at her, and I knew that you two, used to be together, way back when during middle school. Everyone else believed that you two were best friends." Jassa laughed mockingly._

"_But I saw you that day. I saw you pull her aside when she had cried during class. I saw you kiss." she finished, her eyes glinting with victory. A victory I swept out from under her._

_I pulled Jassa into my chest and gripped her there harshly, my blood raging and ears ringing. _

"_Listen well, bitch." My tone was biting, and Jassa paled as she finally saw that she had pushed me well over the edge. I had never talked to anyone like that before. _

"_If you don't want your life to be a living hell, you will keep your mouth shut, and stay the fuck away from me, and Sharpay." I growled into her ear, and Jassa whimpered, and she shuddered in my arms. The fear in her eyes was visible, and her expression was dazed._

"_If so much as one person finds out about this, I will make sure you regret the day you were born." I whispered, before pushing her away from me, and stalking down the hall, heading towards the gym._

_Fuck class, I need to shoot some hoops. I thought savagely._

* * *

Yeah, well everyone else thought something entirely different had happened, because according the Cadent; we were locked in a seriously passionate embrace, and let's just say that Jassa's dazed expression hadn't helped the situation. By the end of the day, the rumors had escalated from me and her making out against the locker, to a quickie in the middle of the hallway, where Jassa had been making some very illicit sounds.

Needless to say, it had gotten back to my father by the end of the day, and he was not at all pleased. I got the "talk" again from both my parents, and grandmother, before I really got to explain the whole story, and it's true contents. Arienne had been far too busy giggling like a maniac to bother with lecturing me.

A blush tinted my face pink; it still made me squirm in humiliation.

Anyways, back to the real topic at hand. I could usually tell when my parents were hiding something from me, but that wasn't what I really saw the situation as. It was more like they were being secretive, but not deceptive as though if I searched a little harder the answer would be there, and by god it was maddening.

I froze for a moment, the ball clutched in my hands.

This situation reminded me far too much of when I was three, almost four and my parents had sat me down telling me to expect a baby in about six months.

But my mom couldn't be pregnant again, could she? I wondered, my nose wrinkling at the thought.

Not to say, that I didn't love little kids, but the thought of my parents having another disgusted me for some reason, even though I knew for a fact they had a healthy marriage. (Cue disgusted retching) I could lay personal testimony to the creation of both my little sisters, Haley and Miranda, and yes, I had (unknowingly, of course) walked in on them once or twice, and let's just say I was still horribly scarred from the sight…ergh…nasty business that is….

I guess it was just the thought of my parents getting it on, while I was stuck and chained down in Virgin Central, irked me to a certain extent.

I frowned at my jealousy, not that the green-eyed monster poking its head up every once in a while was strange, I just really didn't like it. I bounced the ball viciously, running hard up and down the court to siphon off my rage and discomfort at both the situation I found myself in and my lack of love life.

Several lay-ups, three pointers, and dunks into the basketball goal had my adrenaline pumping as I sprinted up and down, and side to side on the court, sweeping and swerving past invisible opponents as I worked.

I stopped for a second, just long enough to toss my blue-and-green striped polo onto the bleachers, next to my backpack, before starting up my drills again with a newfound intensity.

Anything was better than reality at this brief moment in time.

"I wonder why you don't work yourself this hard during basketball practice." A deep, gruff voice sounded from the gym doors, and I instantly recognized my father's trim figure walking lightly into the large room, his brand new Nike kicks tapping softly against the floor.

I stopped immediately, before I realized my dad sounded rather amused instead of upset. Still not turning to look directly at him, I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly; "You've never told me I could work out my frustration with the world at practice."

My dad let out a chuckle. "Since when have I ever had to give you permission to do what you wanted?" he began, his voice light. I could practically see him crossing his arms, a lilted quirk of his lips on his face as he showed his apparent merriment.

"I guess I'm trying to be responsible, and not appear to be about to break out into a teenage rebellion." I retorted dryly.

My father, Jack snorted softly at my statement.

"That's never stopped you before, Troy," he said seriously, and I could feel the tightening in my shoulders. "I know that, dad." I stated quietly, suspicious as to where this conversation was heading.

"A couple of years ago, if I'd ever told you not to do something, that you believed right, Troy, you wouldn't have given a rat's ass as to what I thought." My dad replied, his tone concerned.

"Key phrase there, dad; _**a couple of years ago**_. I'm not the same bright-eyed bushy tailed fool I was before. I understand a lot more now…" My dad cut me off, his tone fierce.

"Troy Michael Bolton, don't you dare give me any crap about how you're not the same. What happened was horrible, but I refuse to let my son waste his future, because he'd become bitter about the past." I could hear his footsteps behind me, and suddenly, I was whipped around to stare at my dad's deep brown hazel eyes.

They were filled with a deep-seeded concern, compassion for my feelings, a protectiveness that warmed me, and his love and pride.

No one could ever say that Jack Bolton didn't have expressive eyes.

"If you and Sharpay are really and truly meant to be, you will be together, Troy. Don't give up faith that one-day things will be all right, because when you lose that faith, son. I lose you too."

I blinked rapidly, remembering clearly that one day in this very gym, Sharpay had brought that faith back, even if she didn't know it to be so.

* * *

_Storming down the hall, I angrily pulled on a fresh gray wife-beater, and some baby blue basketball shorts. Hopping around on one foot I put on my new pair of gray, white and blue Addidas, before tugging hard at my hair._

_Resting on the bench, with my elbows on my knees and fingers threaded in my hair, I was eventually able to calm myself down. _

_Jassa was so stupid. I thought, a scowl darkening my features. Gosh, I haven't lost control like that in forever. _

_Breathing deeply, I stood, picking up a basketball from the rack on my way out. I walked lightly, lost in thought, bouncing the ball easily against the flooring, until I can to the gym doors, and I pushed them open, not paying any attention to the person standing inside._

_But the sound of someone inhaling sharply had me freezing in place as I looked up, only for my eyes to widen in shock when I saw her standing there. "Sharpay?"_

_I heard her gasp again, and it confused me, but I didn't let it show as she spoke, her tone of voice sounded just as bewildered as I was. "T-Troy?"_

_I inwardly melted at the soft sound of her voice, but I once again didn't let the fact that she got to me show, if anything it made me more curious._

"_What are you doing in here, Sharpay? I didn't think I'd ever see you in the gym, especially when you're not forced." I said matter-of-factly, before mentally slapping myself, thinking she'd take it as an insult._

_But surprisingly she didn't. Her eyes narrowed slightly for a second, before they glazed over with uncertainty, and she fidgeted, looking down at the ground, shuffling her feet._

_I finally ripped my gaze away from her face, and studied her form. She wore a pair of dark purple skinny jeans, with a pair of silver wedge heels, and a silver star studded belt that looped around her waist, and high lighted the patterned gray and silver silk tank she wore, but my eyes latched onto the sight of her silk shirt right near her bra line, where a hint of a purple bra was showing._

_Fighting down the urge to get pissed off, as I wanted to, I walked closer to her, noticing how she flinched lightly and crossed her arms._ _"What happened to your shirt?" I asked softly, and almost instantly she went on the defensive, as I knew she would._

_Her head shot up, and her face was darkened with rage as she glared at me, causing me to stop in surprise._ _"Like you don't know," she sneered icily._

_I raised an eyebrow, but otherwise showed no reaction._ _"What are you talking about?" I asked calmly, and she scowled at me. _

"_Your team happened, that's what!" she yelled angrily, and I suddenly had a good idea as to where this was going._

"_They set me up so that I would fall over in the cafeteria by pulling a string that would catch my ankle as I tried to walk down the stairs! But before I hit the floor my shirt had ripped on the banister of the stairs, catching me before I could fall. It ripped in half, and I basically gave the whole school a peep show," she screamed at me._

_My expression must have showed my shock, as Sharpay frowned, and I felt my eyes flash dangerously, knowing that practice this afternoon would suddenly go from friendly to pure hostile. My team would learn and learn well, I thought, before allowing my mask to cover my emotions._

"_I promise you, Sharpay, that I had absolutely nothing to do with this. I've been in the gym with my dad practically all morning." I said honestly, my blue eyes still swirling with anger._

_She narrowed her eyes at me, and I just stood there, not flinching away from her suspicious gaze._

_Finally, she relaxed, but crossed her arms over her chest, making sure that nothing was showing._

_I noticed her movement and my eyes flashed again, before I closed my eyes and sighed wearily, trying to calm myself._

_I opened my eyes and dropped the basketball. _

"_Come with me, Sharpay." I said quietly._

_She looked at me in confusion. _

"_Why?"_

"_Because you can't walk around school with your shirt ripped in half. You need something else to wear. I'll let you have one of my t-shirts," I told her softly as I offered a hand._

_She looked at me dubiously. _

"_Don't worry, nothing will happen to you while you're with me. " I told her while plastering a grin on my face, even though I was ready to kill my friends. My eyes felt pinched and I could've sworn I saw her blush, but apparently I was hallucinating, because Sharpay never blushed. _

_At least not anymore._

_She hesitantly grasped my hand, and I almost hissed at the contact. The girl was giving me goosebumps by holding my hand. Inwardly, I groaned. What kind of sissy was I? A girl, albeit a beautiful girl, holds my hand, and I turn into a bag of sap. _

_I could've slapped myself, right then, and I would've if I had been alone, but I settled for smiling brightly at her instead. So, you can imagine my surprise when she frowned._

"_I'll change, but I'm not going back out there. I can't, not yet at least," she said firmly, and I nodded my understanding. It wasn't like I wanted her to go in the first place. I thought as I led her to the boy's locker room._

"_You can stay in the gym, if you want. I don't mind having an audience while I practice," I told her over my shoulder, hoping to get a response, and I wasn't disappointed when she rolled her eyes at me. _

_I turned my face back towards the front, and smiled slightly, before wiping the goofy expression off my face as we stopped at my locker._

_I slowly let go of her hand, and spied her shivering, as if she was cold, but I purposefully ignored it, and rummaged through my bag for the clean t-shirt, I'd washed the other day. Finally, I pulled out a red t-shirt that said East High Varsity Captain on the back in bold white letters._

_I turned around and handed it to her, and she shot me a look that clearly asked if my shirt was in sanitary conditions. _

_Chuckling, I answered her unspoken question, "Don't worry, it's clean. I just brought it from home today." _

_She sighed and took the shirt from my hands quickly, and told me bitingly to turn around._

_I did so without objection, knowing that I could see her form clearly in the office window's reflection. I felt like laughing, but decided not to, as it would probably get me smacked, so I stood and watched as she slid off the remains of her silk tank, and hurriedly slipped on my shirt. _

_My eyes widened in horror when I saw that the shirt fit her almost perfectly. _

_Shit. I thought._

" _Troy why do you have a t-shirt that fits me?" She asked with a devious smirk, and I turned around, grimacing. "I must have washed it in hot water instead of cold water like I was supposed to. Oops. Well, you might as well keep it, considering I can never wear it again."_

_A smug grin flitted across her face. "Boys, can never do anything right." _

_I rolled my eyes. "You know that you've been secretly hoping I would give you one of my shirts, so you can cuddle with it at night, declaring your love for me." I teased._

_She scoffed at me. "As if, you perv." _

_I let a lopsided grin fall on my face in amusement. "How about I teach you to play basketball?" he asked._

_She gave me a look that clearly said, '__**What**__**have you been smoking?**__'_

_And then, I couldn't help it, so I laughed._

"_Come on, seriously, Sharpay. What's one day without being the Ice Princess or whatever it is they call you? Try something new." _

_She huffed at me, and I shot her my infamous puppy dog eyes._ _"Fine!" she stated dramatically, throwing her arms in the air._ _I gave her a triumphant look, and practically dragged her from the room. _

* * *

I had once thought that everything had changed. I had believed that after spending almost four hours together, she would miraculously remember, and everything would be hunky-dory and fabulous, but like always my hopes were dashed.

I don't really know what had happened after playing around in the gym, I could just remember her walking away from me, and she never really came back, and unfortunately, I believe that a part of me died that day, and a sickening feeling told me it was my hope.

I shook my head, clearing away the cobwebs of memory, before glancing up at my dad. "There's a ton of things I could say to refute your statement, dad, but I'm not going to."

I stepped away from him, and his hands fell to his sides as he watched me with worried eyes as I turned my back on him, and breathed in deeply.

"You don't have to worry about losing me, dad." I took one step forward, before stopping again as my dad blurted out a question. "Why not, Troy?"

A sad smile, one that my father's eyes were not privy to, formed on my face as I let the basketball drop, and shoved my hands into my jeans pockets. "Because I've already lost myself." I whispered, and a suffocating silence descended.

I closed my eyes briefly, before walking out of the gym, my dad's gaze burning holes into my back, but he never stopped me from leaving the gym.

We both knew that there was nothing to be done right then. There was nothing that could be done, actually, and I think that hurt my father more than anything else in this world.

* * *

Standing inside the boy's locker room, and listening to the thundering of feet heading towards the gym, I realized that the pep rally was going to start in a few minutes if I was to judge by the sounds of the East High school student body gathering inside.

Leaning against my locker, I was overwhelmed by exhaustion. I was tired of the waiting, hoping, praying, and dreaming, and have nothing happen. Nothing changes. It was killing me slowly, but surely, and I knew my parents noticed, just as the rest of my family did.

I took in slow deep breaths, willing myself to get over it, get past it, and leave Sharpay behind, because it was becoming obvious to me that we would never be together again.

I almost cried, when a thought seemed to slap me in the face with the reality of the situation. I was stuck in a dream world, where Sharpay and I were together and I would have my happy ending. But it wasn't to be so.

Maybe God didn't want us to love each other, or maybe I just wasn't worthy of her affections. It hurt to think that, but it was the only thing that made sense to my chaotic mind, no matter how illogical.

Rubbing my eyes with the heel of my hands, I sighed heavily. Prayers just weren't answered, or at least mine weren't. In any case, it was time to accept the fact that Sharpay and I were over.

Our time was done, and so was mine.

Tonight this pain would end, and I would never have to suffer again. A resigned smile appeared on my face as my best friend walked inside, the last twelve members of the basketball team behind them.

I stood up straight. I would make them proud, because this would be my last day as captain. I took my time to look them each in the eye, and because of this, I garnered a few concerned and bewildered glances from each of my teammates.

"Tonight's game against the Jamesville Jaguars is bound to be an experience. We've come so far since our freshman year, and I must say that playing beside you guys has been an honor, one I will never forget. We have to go out there today and give a performance, and thoroughly encourage our fans to support us tonight. And I just want you to know that even if we don't win, we're going to play hard. If not for us, then for them." I felt my features harden.

"We're a team that wins together, loses together, and have become a family over the past three years. The name Wildcat means something to all of us, and we're going to go out there and represent it with pride." I yelled, and a chorus of cheers went up throughout the locker room.

Whistles, stomping, and yells echoed off the walls, and I felt myself smile.

"THEN LET'S GO SHOW THEM WHAT WE GOT!" One by one, whooping and hollering the team filed out the door, jogging down the halls as the blasting sounds of Principal Matsui talking into a microphone reached our ears.

"Students give it up, for our three time winners of the Championship medal, THE EAST HIGH WILDCATS!" And the room went wild as the doors swung open, and they ran in, bouncing basketballs, and generally acting stupid as they egged on the screaming.

I took a deep breath, before building up my courage, and running inside, a smile on my face. I could've sworn the screaming tripled as my name was yelled out.

"OH MY GOSH IT'S TROY BOLTON!" I jogged my way into the gym, my face pinking a bit at the sexual comments being thrown from the stands.

"LIGHT IT ON FIRE, BOLTON!" I almost glared at the girl, or I would've had I been able to find her in the feminine chaos. Only one person was allowed to say that, and it was--..I cut myself off. No more thinking about her.

"TROY, YOU ARE SOOO SEXY!" I froze in mortification next to my teammates who were smirking at me, and my dad had the audacity to laugh.

Standing stiffly next to the edge of the bleachers, I almost rolled my eyes as girls continued to rave about my 'hotness'. One even offered me some favors, which made me pale, because my dad was glaring, and blush because my team was practically rolling around on the floor laughing.

I scrubbed a hand over my face, feeling an embarrassed smile form, but my attention, no matter how much I tried not to look, was drawn to the other side of the gym, where a thin blonde had whipped around and snarled something at the group of girls above her.

I'd know that hair anywhere, but what really got me was the shirt she was wearing. It was my shirt. The one I had given her last year.

My jaw almost went slack at the sight of her in MY shirt and jeans. Most would consider her plain, but to me she looked downright delectable.

I squinted trying to make out the figure she was talking to, and I vaguely recognized her as Janni Richards, the cheerleading captain from last year, who was no longer on the squad. No wonder her and Sharpay clashed.

Sharpay may act like a little bitch but at least she had some taste. Janni was both a slut and a bitch.

"Oh, it's the Ice Queen. Don't tell me you have a crush on Troy Bolton!" Janni practically screamed the statement, and somehow, everybody heard it. Including me.

Holy shit. I gasped internally. Not now, please no.

The room was plunged into silence, and expressions of disbelief were in everyone's bulging eyes, especially mine as they glanced between me, and Sharpay, but I snapped out of it real quick, when my stomach sunk, and the air was knocked out of my chest by the intensity.

"Shut up, Janni." Sharpay snapped, but her voice sounded…pained, like she was being hurt.

_Fuck, no._

Something was wrong. And whatever it was wasn't necessarily good. I thought as I swayed heavily on my feet, feeling my heart pound in my chest. My dad gripped my arm, and Chad steadied me, by grasping my shoulder.

"What are you going to do about it, Ice Queen? Stab me through the heart with an icicle?" she asked her, mockingly, and then she let out a fake gasp. "Oh, I'm so sorry. You wouldn't know where my heart is, would you? Considering, you don't have one." Janni stated, her voice sad, but the look on her face malicious.

I saw Sharpay flinch, and then Janni's eyes almost popped out of her head. It would've been comical had I not seen the reason Janni was gob smacked. Sharpay was crying.

The notion practically bowled me over, and I swayed on my feet for a second, making my dad grip me tighter, as his eyes lit with concern.

"Sharpay…"Janni sounded flabbergasted and slightly panicked as Sharpay started twitching and looking around crazily, and then Sharpay howled in pain clutching her head, and my heart clenched.

"Troy…" Her whisper of my name was like a gong in the silence, and everyone looked at me. I knew that my appearance wasn't helping matters, because I was practically leaning against my father.

I was so stupid. How could I have even thought of forgetting my love for her? How could I when the idea of never being able to see her face tears me apart inside?

"Troy." Her voice was clear-cut, but confused as though she didn't know why she was calling out for me, and I began to fight against my dad's hold.

_I had to get to Sharpay._ I thought.

"TROY!" she screamed then, her voice haunted, and pained, and that was the last straw. I shoved Chad off me, and my eyes met my dad's as Sharpay's breathing turned ragged, and her expression wild.

Whatever assurance my father needed, must have been in my eyes, because he let me go without a word, and I turned just in time to see her fall. My feet were moving before I could think as Sharpay's terrified scream echoed in my ears.

Adrenaline had me across the floor in seconds. Her body dropped into my arms, and I collapsed under her weight. Her eyes were glazed over in fear, and agony as she stared up at me.

"Troy…?" she whispered, her voice faint, and her eyes teary.

My heart almost stopped at the recognition in her hazel orbs, and I had responded before I could stop myself. "Sharpay…?" And then her eyes rolled into her head, and she fainted.

"Oh, Sharpay…" I whispered, holding her close to my chest as I got lost in a memory, once again.

* * *

"_Tro-oy, it's winter." A soft voice sang into my ears as I lifted my head to stare at her incredulously. "Pay, we're in New Mexico. There's no such thing as winter." I told her, deadpanned. _

_She poked her tongue out at me. "Oh, have an imagination, will you!" she exclaimed, before leaping off the backyard porch railing down onto the deep green grass below, her pale feet contrasting magnificently as she impulsively twirled around in circles, her blonde curls flaring around her head like a halo._

_I watched in disbelieving amusement as my girlfriend skipped around my large backyard in a pair of plaid shorts and a blue tank top, her voice was high, but beautiful as she burst into song. Surprisingly, a song we'd heard at church just the other day._

"_Took me a while but I'm finally here…So I just want to testify, make it crystal clear…See I've been picked out, to be picked on…Talked about, out my friends' mouths…I've been beat down, till he turned my life around…" _

_She looked so gorgeous, just twirling away in the afternoon sun as she sang and danced around. "Come on Troy!" she called out, her voice full of joy, "Come dance in the winter snow!" _

_I felt like laughing at the ludicrous thought of snow being in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but I could never really deny Sharpay Elise Evans anything. So, sighing I stood up, and danced my way over to her, where a bright smile broke out over her features._

_I grabbed her hand, and twirled her into my chest, before spinning her back out, and she laughed merrily. "Can you see it, Troy-boy? Can you see the snow?" she asked as we danced together, faux-fox-trotting our way around the backyard._

"_Can you feel it under our feet, and brushing against our skin?" she whispered, her eyes twinkling. I shook my head. "Sorry, Pay, but all I see and feel right now is you." A mischievous gleam shone in her pretty brown eyes. _

"_So you don't believe that if I pray for snow, it will happen?" She inquired as I spun her around. _

_I shook my head. "It's just not plausible, Sharpay. We're next-door neighbors to the desert. I don't believe Snowball and his royal misfits will be visiting." _

_A smirk appeared, and before I knew what was happening, a huge bag of fluffy white feathers burst open above us, causing both our eyes to widen as we glanced up to see my ten-year old sister, red-faced and shocked staring down at us guiltily from her third floor bedroom window. Her little friend beside her looked on with wide eyes, before they both retreated and slammed the window shut._

_Arienne was going to be in so much trouble, when mom and dad found out that she'd just emptied parts of the costume material for the fundraising party next month at the Daycare Center. Mom had been planning to hand make their bird costumes._

_Sharpay suddenly started laughing as hundreds of feathers floated down around us. I realized that even though it wasn't real snow, it was close enough, and Sharpay proved my assumptions correct with her next statement, amusement clear on her smiling face._

"_So tell me, Troy, do you still not believe that prayers are answered?"_

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	6. Chapter Five

It's not as long as I would have liked, but the next chapter is guarenteed to be longer. XD. I've been on a busy schedule and I've been overloaded with work. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long.

-Steph

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* * *

"_Tro-oy, it's winter." A soft voice sang into my ears as I lifted my head to stare at her incredulously. "Pay, we're in New Mexico. There's no such thing as winter." I told her, deadpanned. _

_She poked her tongue out at me. "Oh, have an imagination, will you!" she exclaimed, before leaping off the backyard porch railing down onto the deep green grass below, her pale feet contrasting magnificently as she impulsively twirled around in circles, her blonde curls flaring around her head like a halo._

_I watched in disbelieving amusement as my girlfriend skipped around my large backyard in a pair of plaid shorts and a blue tank top, her voice was high, but beautiful as she burst into song. Surprisingly, a song we'd heard at church just the other day._

"_Took me a while but I'm finally here…So I just want to testify, make it crystal clear…See I've been picked out, to be picked on…Talked about, out my friends' mouths…I've been beat down, till he turned my life around…"_

_She looked so gorgeous, just twirling away in the afternoon sun as she sang and danced around. "Come on Troy!" she called out, her voice full of joy, "Come dance in the winter snow!"_

_I felt like laughing at the ludicrous thought of snow being in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but I could never really deny Sharpay Elise Evans anything. So, sighing I stood up, and danced my way over to her, where a bright smile broke out over her features._

_I grabbed her hand, and twirled her into my chest, before spinning her back out, and she laughed merrily. "Can you see it, Troy-boy? Can you see the snow?" she asked as we danced together, faux-fox-trotting our way around the backyard._

"_Can you feel it under our feet, and brushing against our skin?" she whispered, her eyes twinkling. I shook my head. "Sorry, Pay, but all I see and feel right now is you." A mischievous gleam shone in her pretty brown eyes._

"_So you don't believe that if I pray for snow, it will happen?" She inquired as I spun her around._

_I shook my head. "It's just not plausible, Sharpay. We're next-door neighbors to the desert. I don't believe Snowball and his royal misfits will be visiting."_

_A smirk appeared, and before I knew what was happening, a huge bag of fluffy white feathers burst open above us, causing both our eyes to widen as we glanced up to see my ten-year old sister, red-faced and shocked staring down at us guiltily from her third floor bedroom window. Her little friend beside her looked on with wide eyes, before they both retreated and slammed the window shut._

_Arienne was going to be in so much trouble, when mom and dad found out that she'd just emptied parts of the costume material for the fundraising party next month at the Daycare Center. Mom had been planning to hand make their bird costumes._

_Sharpay suddenly started laughing as hundreds of feathers floated down around us. I realized that even though it wasn't real snow, it was close enough, and Sharpay proved my assumptions correct with her next statement, amusement clear on her smiling face._

"_So tell me, Troy, do you still not believe that prayers are answered?"_

**Chapter Five**

_**Oblivious to My Love: Frayed Tempers**_

I don't understand. I honestly don't even know what I do not understand. I mean, sure, I almost convinced myself that it would be easier to commit suicide than to live, and then the reason I wished to off myself happens to fall into a life-threatening dilemma. Ironic, isn't it?

Now, here I am, sitting stiffly in a freakin' awfully uncomfortable pasty green chair, and tiredly watching nurses and doctors shuffle up and down the hallways, their rubber-bottom shoes squeaking against the linoleum. They thought they looked professional, but I thought they only succeeded in giving me a severe migraine that throbbed with every squeak.

Why was I here? I would've asked myself out loud again, if the old lady in the corner hadn't started eying me suspiciously after I had questioned my self three times earlier.

It must be true that I was slowly, but surely losing my sanity, and it was all because of _her_.

I almost sneered at the noun, knowing exactly whom it represented.

I wasn't bitter because I loved her any less, I admitted to myself ashamedly, but because I couldn't stop loving her. Despite the hell she's made out of my life, and all the drama that certainly lies waiting in my very near future.

Tomorrow most likely, I thought sighing to myself, resigned to my fate.

Everyone had seen her, and everyone had seen my reaction to it. There was bound to be consequences for my foolhardy and reckless actions, but it's not as if my mind was really functioning at the moment. I wasn't embarrassed that people knew of my feelings for Sharpay, but it was more of the fact that she didn't return those feelings for me, and it was going to cause me hell.

I scrubbed a palm over my face as I slumped down in the ugly chair, recognizing defeat for the first time in my life. There was nothing I could do to get the rumor mill to stop churning, and the gossip would only get worse when I returned back to school, the next day.

Why was I here, anyway? I mused to myself again. Sharpay had been taken inside almost two hours ago, and would be discharged as soon as she woke. Yet, here I sat, my feet unable to move, and my body heavy with exhaustion. What the hell was wrong with me?

Normal people do not sit and wait in hospital lounges for a girl to leave; at least not one that hated them. I scowled to myself, my hands fisting strands of my hair as I groaned softly.

Just as I stood up, and walked towards the exit, I heard raised voices from down the corridor, and curiously I glanced towards the muffled yelling. My eyebrows rose to my forehead along with the nurse who was standing across the hall from me, her mouth slightly agape as she stared down the hall.

A doctor was frozen further down the way, and his expression was wide-eyed as he gawked at the conversation.

I believe every one was listening to the argument, and none were being very sly about it, I thought chagrined, but when I recognized the voice, I too became engrossed in the conversation.

"How could you defend him?!" The words rung out through the floor, as a crashing sound was heard. My brows furrowed. What does she mean? I wondered.

"How could you sit by me, and tell me how fucking guilty Ryan feels about leaving me hanging? You don't care do you? Ryan is your pride and joy, and no one even thinks about how I truly feel. Ryan has friends, and me, I have a back-stabbing asshole for a twin, who doesn't even report to anyone about what they purposely did to me!"

My eyes almost popped out of my head, and I could feel myself pale. Who did what to her? I had to know what the hell she was talking about. And what did Ryan have to do with anything? He'd never seemed that bad of a guy, just shy and a bit odd.

I had been on the receiving end of Sharpay's whiplash anger, and sharp tongue, but she was downright ferocious and biting in her tone this time.

Before I could even fully process what was going on around me, Sharpay had emerged from the room; tear streaks on her ashen features, before she slammed the door shut and fled the hospital as if demons from hell were chasing her.

I watched her go, feeling strangely detached from reality, yet I was seeing everything in this awful clarity and I didn't like what I saw as Sharpay's mother, Suzette Evans stepped from the room calmly, her face set into a cold mask.

The woman's eyes were hard with fury and humiliation as she watched her daughter sprinting away through the automated sliding glass doors. I could practically see her fighting the snarl of rage from overcoming her features.

I had never met someone so evil as Sharpay's mother. What had happened to the sweet and kind woman I had been told of by my grandmother? But now, there was no choice. Suzette Evans was going down, I thought as her cold green eyes slid to meet my own.

I couldn't have told you the anger I felt the moment our eyes connected. It was overwhelming, and I could feel my hands clench at my sides. My face may have been impassive, but the loathing I felt for this woman shone clearly in my eyes, judging by the way her eyes widened slightly.

A spark of fear was lurking behind the anger she felt, and I could see it. My eyes promised her that I would get retribution, and she acknowledged it with the slight cracking of her cold façade.

Suzette and Johnathon Evans would pay, and I would make sure that the cost would incapacitate them for life.

People would learn, my friends included, that you don't mess with Troy Bolton.

I stared hard at Sharpay's mother for a moment longer, before I turned on my heel abruptly and walked away.

* * *

When I walked inside my house that night, my mood was no better, and it only got worse when my mother called to me from the kitchen, where she and my grandmother, Georgia Marie were preparing dinner. My dad was sitting at the table, reading the sports section of the newspaper, and my little sister, Haley had a friend over from preschool. I think her name was Chesley or Chesney, one of the two, I couldn't exactly remember, considering I was downright pissed.

Miranda was in her highchair, and was occupied by a toy truck that was a shiny metallic silver. Arienne was standing in front of the fridge, digging for light snacks that her friends could share. There were five of them there right now, smiling, and whispering and giggling in the corner, talking about whatever thirteen-year olds talked about.

Lisa and Marie were two that I liked the most, but Bethany, who had long brown hair and blue eyes, was okay. The other two I didn't like at all. Chrissie and Megan, were both twins, and had long blonde hair. They wore far too much make-up for my liking.

Normally the sight of so many wouldn't annoy me so much, but right now, I was in no mood to deal with their high pitched squawking about subjects they knew nothing of.

My mom's blue eyes stared at me hard as she chopped vegetables. "And where have you been?" she asked nonchalantly, not stopping what she was doing. I rolled my eyes, clenching my fists at my side.

"Does it matter," I snapped, "After all, I'm here now, aren't I?"

My tone was not very respectful, actually bordering on downright hostile, and it showed on my mother's face as it turned cold, and her eyes turned icy. My anger subsided at that moment, and I realized that I had just made a very big mistake.

No matter how bad my day was, she was still my mother. One who loved me through everything, and now, because I was upset I took it out on her.

"Would you like to rephrase that statement." she spoke softly, but her voice was dangerous. Arienne winced and she stared at me with wide eyes from inside the refrigerator.

I knew from the look in her eyes that it was not a question. And with that my unreasonable anger re-emerged.

"I was out." I retorted still stubborn, even though I was treading in dangerous territory. Arienne's eyes were the size of tennis balls as she gaped at me, frantically shaking her head.

My dad had set down his paper, and was standing now with his arms crossed, a stern frown on his face. My grandmother just watched me, her expression impassive.

The other pre-teens were watching Arienne's panicked motions, my mom, and me with flabbergasted looks on their faces. No one spoke.

"Out where?" she asked, breaking the heavy silence with a careless voice.

"Do I have to tell you every fucking detail about my life, _mother_?" I shot back, heatedly. I was looking for a fight.

Everyone paled except my mother and myself. I was glaring, and her eyes were hard. "You will tell me the details I ask for Troy, and I expect nothing less than the truth," she stated, still chopping vegetables.

"I don't have to tell you shit about my life when I don't want to. I'm an adult, and just because you're a parent doesn't mean that you can tell me what do with my life." I snarled.

I was way out of line, I knew it, but I couldn't help it. She had started this when my temper was completely frayed and I was stressed as well.

"If you're such an adult, then why are you being so childish?" she threw back at me, her words venomous. "I'm your mother, I'm bound to ask where you are, considering that the rule is that if you're ever going to be out past five you need to call to tell me why you aren't going to be home for dinner."

"That's a stupid rule, and I am home for dinner, so what you just said was completely stupid and pointless." I retorted, and my mother's eyes glowed sharply, and her entire face closed off, and went cold.

I knew then, that I had just crossed the line.

My anger vanished as soon as my mom stabbed the knife down so hard that it pierced the wood of the cutting board, and stayed there. Her red curls fell into her eyes giving her angry blue orbs some flecks of red, making me realize that my mother, Anna Bolton was definitely not a woman to mess with.

"You want a fight Troy, then you can have one, but I damn well will not have you insult my intelligence and the boundaries of this household set by me and your father." she hissed her voice quiet, but as sharp as a knife blade.

Everyone flinched, including me.

"What? Is the adult too afraid to take on someone when they get down on your level?" she asked mockingly, and I looked away, shame-faced, unable to meet her hard stare.

"I don't care how hard your day was, but I will not have you coming in here and disrespecting everything I have done for you, and you most certainly will not ever disrespect me again the way you have done tonight." she stated dangerously, stalking towards me.

"You do not talk to me with such vulgar language, Troy, and I will not tolerate it from you," She paused, looking over me carefully, "You're better than that."

Anger surged again, thinking how Sharpay's mom would say things like that to her, and I opened my mouth, and sealed my fate as a complete utter fool.

"Fuck you, bitch." I sneered, and immediately regretted it, when I saw the undisguised hurt on my mother's features.

Before I knew what had happened, her small hand had slapped me right across the face, and pain exploded in my right cheek. I winced and recoiled back from her, the side of my face smarting, and my mother was un-phased at my reaction.

Her face was neutral, no expressions on it, but her eyes were hard as ice and I could see the hurt in them, and I felt guilty for treating her the way I had. She worked day and night to give me a nice life, and I come in angry over a girl, and just dismiss all that she's done, not to mention how much she's loved me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered truthfully, but my mother's face didn't soften, she only nodded curtly once, before turning away from me, and walking from the room.

I don't think I had ever felt so low and wretched in my life as I did watching my mother's shoulders quiver as she walked out of the room, her head held high, and her steps never faltering.

My sister was glaring in my direction, but I could see the sympathy in her eyes as she gathered her friends including Haley and Chesney, and hustled them out into the backyard. My dad brushed past me to find my mother, and he said nothing as he walked past with Miranda in his arms.

I suddenly found myself alone in the kitchen, with no one but my grandmother, who was staring at me solemnly from the table. I met her eyes, and I found no accusation, or disappointment towards me in her watery green eyes. She only showed compassion and understanding, and I felt my walls crumble.

Her arms opened to me, and I felt myself walking towards her without really realizing what I was doing. I knelt down on the floor in front of her, and placed my head in her lap, and I cried, just now understanding how screwed up I really was.

This blew everything out of the water, and I found out the hard way that life was never going to be the same. Everything was different, and I was responsible for making things even more disastrous than before.

Georgia didn't speak, she only ran her fingers through my hair, and hummed quietly, the sound of my soft sobs overcoming the soothing melody she was creating.

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